Danny Phantom C Butch Hartman

Sam's shocked silence ended the moment she saw him turn to go. She knew that if he left now he wouldn't be back. That it would be the end.

"Danny! Stop this now!" Sam said forcefully and full of concern. She reached out and grabbed his arm just before he reached the window. He turned to face her as she pulled on his arm, and the quick as light movement made his hood fall back.

He hadn't expected that. His expression was filled with fury at her for not letting him go when he had the ability, the mindset, to. He hadn't meant for her to see his face, but it was too late to change what she had already seen.

Danny saw her face slowly change from determination to fear and confusion, and the fresh tears that began to form in her eyes made his hard expression melt into something much softer.

"Please Sam," he begged. "Just let me go." He could feel the pleading expression creep over his face.

"No Danny. Stay. Tell me what happened. Tell me what is going on." Sam stared at him intensely, her eyes searching his for some clue as to what he wasn't telling her.

"Sam, let me go. Before it's too late. Just let me go." Dry tears could be heard in Danny's voice.

"Before it's too late for what, Danny?"

"Before I can't make myself go. I need to do this Sam."

"No Danny. You don't. Tell me."

She was staring so intensely into his eyes, Danny had no idea what to do. He didn't want to explain why he had locked himself away from everyone. Why he had to leave, to end. Why he had dark circles under his eyes from no sleep, and why long red scratches ran down the left side of his face.

He had to get out.

He felt the seams that held him together strain, near tearing him apart.

He couldn't lose control. He had to go now. It wasn't a choice.

Sam saw the panic in his face. She saw him turn away from her again. She couldn't let him go. Not like this. Her determination would not fail her.

In a split second, before Danny could take two whole steps towards the window, Sam launched herself at his retreating form.

Mid step, Danny felt her arms wrap tightly around his waist. She clung to him as though she were hanging on for his life. He could feel her body pressed against his back.

There had been a time, a time not too long ago, when all he dreamed about was being this close to the very girl wrapped around him now.

Danny struggled with everything he had not to let his will to leave, without ever looking back, disappear.

His struggles failed.

He could feel the tears he worked so hard to hide from everyone spill over his cheeks. He could feel his body tremble in her grasp, and his shoulders slouch in defeat. Just like that, he failed.

No. I'll tell her what she wants, and then I will leave. I have to leave. She will understand and I will go. Just a little longer and it will be over.

Sam felt his body move, but she didn't let go. She couldn't let go.

He had completely turned around and now she was leaning into his chest instead of his back. That hadn't been the movement she expected from him.

She felt his strong arms wrap around her shoulders and a tear that didn't belong to her fall onto her cheek. He was still trembling, and, as she looked up at his face, she saw the tears.

He looked so sad. So lost.

Sam held his gaze until he leaned forward, his soft black hair brushing along the side of her face. She was so close she could smell him, the scent that secretly made her feel at home.

Then softly, slowly, defeated, he whispered into her ear.

"I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Thank you for reading. I love this chapter (so much that I can't help posting it right away). There is more to come, I'll update as soon as I can. If there is anything I can do to make reading my work more enjoyable, please let me know.